Method and means for feeding stock in transport



Aug. 18, 1925.

J. M GARVEY METHOD AND.MEANS FOR FEEDING STOCK IN TRANSPORT.

Filed June 27. 1922 3 7 z i E g E ii 2 if J wi ELILELD flu v 12 z 1! -9 6 2 4 21 S g 29 I Z0 8 W x A. Z4 77 0 g Q f 3a 13 17 Jinzeq To all whom it may concern:

Patented 18', 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

' J'AME S HOGLBVEY, OI ALDEN, WASHINGTON.

mrrnob AND nmns roa rmme srocx m' raansroar.

Application fled June 27, 1922. Serial Io. 5"71,141.

Be it known that I, JAMES MoGAnvnY,

' a citizen of the United'States, residing at Malden, in the county of Whitman and State of Washington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods and Means for Feeding Stock in Transport, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved method and means of feeding stock in cars during transport.

Heretofore, when a stock train entered a station where it was necessary to feed the stock, it was the practice to couple an engine to a corn or feed car and advance the feed car alongside the stock cars. Each door of each stock car had to be opened, and in the case of a hog train where the cars are double decked, it was necessary to crawl into the car and scoo the feed to all portions of each deck so t at all the stock could feed. The corn or other feed .was of course manually transferred from the feed car to the stock cars. With a sixty car train this operation generally required from six to ten hours, dependent upon the number of men employed.

In accordance with my improved method and means, a device, such as a hopper, 18 disposed in the feed car into which the feed is di d. A conveyor, such as a hose, leads from the bottom of the hopper and I employ the air from the engine to propel the feed through the conveyor hose.

A feature of my invention consists in interposmg a valve 1n the air connection, In

the feed car, so that not only the propulsion of the feed, but the accidental advance of the .engine, can be controlled from the interior of the feed car.

- My invention has many other objects and features which will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing and which will be more partlcularly pointed. outin and by the appended claims.

' In the drawing v Fig. 1, is a plan view of a main track and siding and illustratinga stock train on onetrack and the feed carrier and engine on the other. I r Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged I scale taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawing.

As shown, 1, designates one of the cars of "a stock train *2, on track 3, into which feed is being delivered in accordance with my improved means and method. On a side track 4, is shown a. feed carrier or car 5, loaded with feed and coupled to an engine or motive unit 6, equipped with air. I have shown the brake hose of the train line at 7, extending forwardly from the pilot 8, and having the usual valve 9. An air'hose 10, having the usual fitting is connected with hose 7, at 11. Of course, I may couple onto the rear of the engine, if desired, or onto the air supply instead of the train line, and do not wish to be limited to the exact manner shown.

In practice I mount a platform 12, at the door of the feed, car 5, to support an operator. I may nail a board 13, across the doorway of the feed car and provide hangers 14 which may be slipped onto the board and which may have supporting ends '15, secured to the platform. .Thus, the platform extends toward the cars ofthe stocktrain and renders the latter easily accessible to the "operator on the platform. f Inside of the feed car 5, is disposed a measuring hopper 16, which may be suitablymounted on supporting legs 17, resting on the floor of the car. I preferably employ a measuring hopper .for the reason that the shipper orders and pays for a certain amount of feed per car. -Hence, the feed can be scooped into the hopper, in accordance with standing on' the platform 12, and projected 1 throu h the slat s aces22, of the stock car 1, to s oot the fee all over the floor thereof so that all the stock can get its proportionate share. This is accomplished without opening the stock car doors, a saving of time of great importance. This feature also saves the time of'the operator in crawling into i the stock car, a very obnoxious service to perform in a double deckhog car, for instance.

Another'limb 23, of the in'ector, opens to the bottom of the hopper 16, or free gravity flow of the corn or other feed thereinto. Another limb 24, of the injector, has an ing to the desired position alongside one of the stock cars, the operator on the platform signals the engineer to stop. The engineer applies the air and brings the car 5, to a position of rest, or the man in the feed car can directly apply the brakes on the engine by slightly opening valve. 28, as is the method now in practice wit-h this device. The controlling operator in the car has previously caused a hopper full of grain to be scooped into the hopper, or less than a hopper full, according to circumstances, and

asthe car 5, is brought to rest, the controllin operator opens controlling valve 28. This releases the air and causes the grain to be propelled'through hose 20. As the air is released, the brakes on the engine are set, and the engineer cannot release them. The feed car brakes need not be operated by air or otherwise. The operator on the platform manipulates the nozzle 21, to distribute the feed throughout the floor of the car. When the amount of feed has left the hopper such as will satisfy the feed requirements, the controlling operator turns off valve 28. This is the signal to the platform man that an advance is to be made. It also releases the brakes on the engine. A signal is then given to the engineer to proceed and when .the right position of advance is attained, the valve 28 can be opened, and this willset the brakes of the engine and thereby act as a signal to the engineer to close the throttle.

As this feeding operation is frequently done at night, the now obvious features of safety resulting from my invention will be clearly appreciated. Further, the fact that no doors need be opened in the stock cars, effects a saving of a very great amount of time.

It will be seen'that my improved method and apparatus consists broadly in utilizing the air from. the engine to propel the feed from the feed car into successive stock cars.

It is thought the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing description, and while I have shown one specific form of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto except for such limitations as the claims may import.

I claim;

1. As a means of feeding stock in cars during transport, a feed car, an air equipped engine coupled with said feed car and car, whereby the operator inside the feed car may govern the feed propulsion and set the brakes on the. engine.

2. The combination with a plurality of slatted stock cars having doors in closed positions, of a feed car adapted tocontain the grain to be fed, an engine for advancing said feed car alongside the slatted stock cars, mechanism adapted to receive grain from and being carried by said feed car and said mechanism having connection for air pressure supply from said engine for propulsion of the grain through said mechanism, and said mechanism having a delivery hose rovided with a nozzle adapted to be manua 1y inserted between the slats of the stock cars and shifted into different positions while between the slats to scatter the grain over the floor of the stock cars 'while the doors thereof are closed.

3. A means of feeding stock in slatted stock cars during transport-and while the doors of the stock cars are closed, comprising a feed car adapted to contain the grain to be fed, an engine for advancing the feed car alongside the slatted stock cars, mechanism carried by and adapted to receive grain from said feed car and having a delivery hose provided with a nozzle for manual insertion between the slats of the stock cars to selectively scatter the grain over the floors ofthe latter, said mechanism having air connection with said engine for propulsion of the grain through said mechanism, and controlling means for the air accessible to the feed car for arresting the latter and said engine without signalling the engineer.

4. The herein-described method of feeding stock in barred stock cars during transport and Without opening the doors of said cars, which consists, in advancing a supply of grain into selective positions alongside the stock cars, 'in applying air pressure to said supply of grain to propel the latter toward said stock cars, .and in selectively directing the propelled grain through one barred side of the cars and scattering the grain over the floors thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I hereby aflix my signature.

JAMES McGARVEY. 

